Computer systems are increasingly becoming commonplace in homes and businesses throughout the world. As the number of computer systems increases, more and more computer systems are becoming interconnected via networks. These networks include local area networks (LANs). LANs also frequently have an interface to other networks, such as the Internet, and this interface needs to be monitored and controlled by network management on the LAN.
One concern encountered with networks is referred to as network management. Network management refers to monitoring and controlling of the network devices and includes the ability for an individual, typically referred to as an administrative user, to be able to access, monitor, and control the devices that are part of the network, or access, monitor, and control the devices that are part of the network coupled to other computer systems. Such access, monitoring, and control often include the ability to check the operating status of devices, receive error information for devices, change configuration values, and perform other management functions. As the size of networks increases, so too does the need for network management.
The operating system of most computers provides an administration tool or a system administration manager for invoking and performing system management tasks. The hardware of a computer system, the various facilities included within the operating system, such as the file system facility, the print spooling facility, and the networking facility, as well as the operating system itself must all be managed. This means that computer systems require some involvement by a human user or a manager of the computer system for such operations as specifying certain configuration parameters, monitoring ongoing activity, or troubleshooting some problem that has arisen. These management or administration tasks can be performed manually in many operating systems via direct manipulation of configuration files or direct invocation of specific administration utility programs. But in large operating systems involving distributed systems, a more efficient method for managing and monitoring tasks may be needed, especially in the context of tool execution.